Get Weekly Delicious Recipes

Roasted Cauliflower, Ham and Brie Grilled Cheese

4/12/15

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Cupcakes & Kale Chips is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

For the second year in a row, #SundaySupper and Gallo Family Vineyards are here to celebrate the best month ever – National Grilled Cheese Month! Wine and cheese is a natural pairing, so wine and grilled cheese makes perfect sense, don’t you think? Even moreso when you pair unique and creative ingredients right in your grilled cheese sandwich, like this rich and creamy Roasted Cauliflower, Ham and Brie Grilled Cheese.

Roasted Cauliflower, Ham and Brie Grilled Cheese

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.

I think grilled cheese is one of those foods that just evokes memories for everyone. When my mom made me grilled cheese, it was usually those individually wrapped slices of American cheese on your basic white bread. She buttered the outside of the bread and melted butter in the pan, and while the sandwich was golden brown, it was kind of, well, squishy. But as a kid, I loved it! For lunch on Saturday, after a morning of cartoons and helping her dust, that was my payoff. Between all the butter, the super soft bread and that, well, let’s be honest, rubbery cheese, her grilled cheese was just one big, gooey mess of a sandwich – ahhhh, comfort!

MY LATEST VIDEOS

Her grilled cheese was a stark contrast to the one I used to order at that famous chain restaurant that is really more known for its ice cream than its meals. The bread was thicker and firmer, and the cheese seemed to resolidify by the time it got to the table, so overall it was much drier, but strangely, I loved that one as well. Or maybe I loved the ice cream sundae I got afterwards as long as I finished my dinner.

My dad’s was somewhere in the middle – crispier than mom’s, but not as dry as the restaurant one. He used butter in the pan but mayo on the bread, and I seem to recall that while he also used American cheese, it was the kind sliced at the deli counter. I don’t remember the details, to be honest, because the shining star of his grilled cheese meals was the French Onion Soup that he made with it. So much cheesy, carby goodness!

These days, I make grilled cheese my way, or as I like to say, “fancy pants”. You know, something like this…

When I had the idea for this Roasted Cauliflower, Ham & Brie Grilled Cheese in my head, I actually wasn’t sure the combination was going to work. But it only took one bite to convince me that this was truly a winner. Brie is so smooth and creamy, so it’s nice to add something with a little bit of texture, like the cauliflower. I just used some leftovers of my Basic Roasted Cauliflower. I’m sure you could just use steamed cauliflower, but the caramelized, earthy flavor from the roasty toasty bits just tastes so fabulous with the rich flavor of the Brie. And while I liked the little bit of sweet and salty from the ham, it would still be fabulous as a vegetarian sammie.

I don’t like my grilled cheese sandwiches too greasy, so I put a thin layer of butter on the bread and use olive oil in the pan. This way you get the buttery flavor and golden brown color, but the bread still stays crisp. And for me, I swap the whole wheat bread that I use for the family for a couple of gluten free slices. I also use a low heat and cover the pan so that it gets all melty good on the inside without overcooking the outside.

I have to say, it’s really a tough call whether this tops my grilled cheese from last year’s event – the Kentucky Hot Brown Grilled Cheese! Maybe you should try both and let me know what you think 😉

Since this is grown-up grilled cheese, it definitely needs a wine pairing, am I right? This time I went with my favorite Gallo Family wine, their Riesling. This light-bodied wine was a perfect balance to the buttery, indulgent Brie, and the crisp, sweet flavor paired so nicely with the roasted cauliflower and the toasted bread. And while I chose to enjoy my grilled cheese with a white wine this time, should you prefer a red, it would be equally delicious paired with the other wine I selected, the Gallo Family Pinot Noir. The earthy flavors and fruity aromas would enhance the roasted cauliflower, and the smooth finish is certainly a complement to the smoothness of the melty Brie.

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Get Weekly Delicious Recipes

DON’T MISS OUT! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW ME FOR YUMMY RECIPES! JOIN OVER 1 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK,
PIN WITH ME ON PINTEREST, AND KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST
ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER! YOU CAN ALSO JOIN THE CONVERSATION
IN THE NO-FUSS FOOD AND FUN GROUP ON FACEBOOK.

Brianne you are the cauliflower queen! I just love all your cauliflower recipes (since I’m a big fan of cauliflower) and this one is happening next time I roast cauliflower. Or maybe an excuse to roast cauliflower. Yep.